Featured Author: Christoph Fischer

About the book:

When Charles and Tony's mother dies, the estranged brothers must struggle to pick up the pieces, particularly so given that one of them is mentally challenged and the other bitter about his place within the family.

The conflict is drawn out over materialistic issues, but there are other underlying problems which go to the heart of what it means to be part of a family which, in one way or another, has cast one aside.

Prejudice, misconceptions and the human condition in all forms feature in this contemporary drama revolving around a group of people who attend the subsequent funeral at the British South Coast.

Meet flamboyant gardener Charles, loner Simon, selfless psychic Elaine, narcissistic body-builder Edgar, Martha and her version of unconditional love and many others as they try to deal with the event and its aftermath.

Excerpt from Conditions

Martha was petite and fragile looking with bleach blonde hair, very light skin and lots of freckles. She seemed lost in her overly large black dress.  When she saw it was a stranger answering the door she trembled, mumbling a barely audible greeting. Charles quickly stuck his head out of the kitchen and shouted:

“Martha, this is my friend Simon.”

She looked puzzled.

“Remember, I said there’d be someone from Torquay. The orchid guy?”

She nodded slightly, hesitantly stepped into the hallway and looked searchingly around.
“Talk to each other while I’m making dinner,” Charles ordered them. “I’ll be out soon. Go, sit in the living room!”

Martha shrugged and gave a little grin, then stood there waiting for Simon to do something.

“You have been here before, haven’t you?” he asked surprised at her lack of initiative.
“Yes, of course,” she said, continuing to stand until he started to walk. Only then did she move towards the living room, following his lead. She sat down on the sofa, put her handbag on the floor and folded her hands over her knees. She remained that way, without saying a further word, her gaze averted towards the floor. Simon sat down on the other sofa and tried to think of the right thing to say, but was stumped. Although she was as shy as Charles had predicted, there was something quite forceful underneath that exterior that didn’t sit comfortable with him. An unspoken pressure surrounded that woman and tensed up the atmosphere. She, too, had very attractive features, he thought. A hint of Meg Ryan maybe, if only her face was more relaxed.

“Can I get you a drink?” he eventually asked, grateful that something had finally sprung to mind.

“No thank you,” she said, her voice cracking halfway through the first syllable. He noticed that her eyes were melancholic and seemed to be continually searching for something. She smiled and shrugged as if to apologise for it. Only then did Simon remember being told about her drinking problem and felt the sting of embarrassment. To add to his discomfort Martha now seemed to have lost some of her initial shyness and looked expectantly at him. The mounting pressure began to feel very uncomfortable.

He remembered her story vaguely from one of Charles’s long monologues. Martha and Charles had met in hospital after his accident at the estate while she was being treated for nasty bruises and fractures - souvenirs from a recent fight with her latest abusive husband. The memory made him even more self-conscious as to what to speak to her about.

“How was the journey?” Simon had finally thought to ask.

“Alright,” she said, repeating her grin and shrug routine.

“Are you still living in…” Simon paused, realising that he couldn’t remember the name of the town.

“I’m still in the same place that I lived in with my ex-husband Clive,” she said eagerly. She had moved to the front of the seat and was leaning towards him. “It has to be sold to complete the divorce settlement and the sale is taking its time,” she added.

“Sorry to hear that,” he said, surprised by her sudden change of attitude.

“Like our marriage, the sale has turned into a tedious and painful affair,” she said, giggling slightly.

“I see,” Simon said, feeling embarrassed by the sudden intimacy. “I hadn’t meant to ask that, of course.”

“I don’t mind talking about it,” she said. “I’m in AA and there we share everything. Clive and I worked at the same firm and nothing about the split has ever been secret. Everyone knows my story and in parts I find that quite liberating. Charles probably mentioned the saga to you. At least he probably told you why I don’t drink,” she added.

Simon was stunned into silence by her forwardness.

“You don’t have to get embarrassed,” she assured him.

“I am embarrassed,” he said, to which she just shrugged her shoulders.

What reviewers are saying:

"Author Christoph Fisher skillfully weaves a tale with a unique cast of characters that are realistic.” 
Thomas Baker

“
In Conditions he has taken on a very difficult topic - a family dealing with mental illness - and brought his characters to life.” 
Yael Politis

“
This book gives us a fascinating glimpse into a world that few of us will experience, but many of us are curious about.” 
Purple Violin

"I found the writing captivating as Christoph Fischer gave a storyline with stormy relationships, exploring the fragility of the human spirit from such different angles by giving the characters their own set of shortcomings." -M.C.V. Egan

"Author Christoph Fischer with his latest book "Conditions" has once again produced an amazing read. His passionate words and novel brings one to reality in life - dealing with mental illness - family trials and tribulations - an excellent story line with a cast of realistic characters. Extremely touching, emotional and heart tugging. Lovely read!" -Anna Othitis

Other books by Christoph Fischer:

About the author:

Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he is still resident today. The Luck of The Weissensteiners was published in November 2012; Sebastian in May 2013; The Black Eagle Inn in October 2013.
His first contemporary novel is called Time To Let Go and was released June 2014.
He has written several other novels which are in the later stages of editing and finalisation.

Connect with Christoph:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Cool Book of the Week: Coptales

Coptales

A Police Anthology
 Available from Amazon Kindle and Lulu in Print
Published by Paul Anthony Associates

Contributing authors:

Paul Anthony, Simon Hepworth, Roger Price, Wayne Zurl, Amy Metz, Marion Tervitt, Ray Gregory, Dave Miller, Hywel Griffiths, David Barker

Would your grandmother like this book?
Yes, probably. She enjoyed reading.

Why is your book cool?
Because it not only donates its profits to a UK based charity providing for police survivors. It also gives previously unpublished authors an opportunity to have their work published, help in the marketing, and enjoy the experience of being a ‘published’ author in print and Kindle. Simultaneously, it gives published authors an opportunity to display their wares to a new and expanding audience.

Coptales reached #21 in the Kindle anthology store within 24 hours of publication, so it is doing very well. I loved collecting all the various pieces of work to make the anthology and then reading it complete for the first time. Of course, I am very biased, but I’m also very pleased for the team involved. They should all be very proud of themselves. I’m sure lots of authors would testify to the nervous disposition you can find yourself in when you are first published.

And this is a great time to thank you, Amy Metz, for helping in the marketing of Uncuffed

and contributing some of your work to Coptales. It is very much appreciated.

Thank you for asking me to be involved with this project, Paul. I was honored and very happy to be asked to contribute to this anthology.

About the book:

Enjoy this great Christmas read ... This anthology is brought to you at Christmastime by a collection of police writers from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and their guests. It includes work by authors from Wales, Scotland, Cumbria, West Yorks, Lancashire, Arizona, Washington, Texas, Barcelona, Nerja, NYPD, and Kentucky, with  stories for children, poetry, ghost stories, paranormal, fantasy, and crime fiction. And you'll find that it's not just Christmas that they write about. There are a lot of surprises too. All proceeds from the anthology are donated to UK Cops - a police charity dedicated to looking after survivors. This is the second 'police anthology' and it follows on from Uncuffed which was published earlier in the year. There's something for everyone here. Turn the pages and join the adventure. Written by the police family for the police family.

Why reviewers think it's cool:

A lovely, heart-warming, thought provoking, entertaining and enjoyable read for all the family. -Meg Johnston, author and editor

About Paul Anthony:

Paul Anthony is a retired detective from the UK who specialized in counter terrorism. He is the author of 14 books which include 8 full-length crime thrillers.

Connect with Paul:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy the book:
UK Kindle store | USA Kindle store | Lulu (print) 

Featured Author: Lindsay McKenna

About the book:

New York Times bestselling author Lindsay McKenna brings readers back to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for another gripping, edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense!

U.S. Navy nurse Skylar Pascal is struggling to regain control of her life after a traumatic crash in Afghanistan that nearly destroyed her. After losing so much, an ideal job at the Elk Horn Ranch in Wyoming offers Sky something she thought she’d never find again—hope.

Former SEAL Grayson McCoy has his own demons. But something about Elk Horn’s lovely-yet-damaged new nurse Sky breaks something loose. Compassion—and passion. And even as Gray works with Sky to piece her confidence back together, something deeper and more tender begins to unfurl between them. Something that could bring her back to life.

But not even the haven of Elk Horn Ranch is safe from dangers. And all of Sky’s healing could be undone by the acts of one malicious man.

The Jackson Hole series:

•    Book #1: Shadows from the Past
•    Book #2: Deadly Identity  
•    Book #3: Deadly Silence
•    Book #4: The Last Cowboy  
•    Book #5: The Wrangler 
•    Book #6: The Defender
•    Book #7: The Loner  
•    Book #8: High Country Rebel   

Interview with Lindsay McKenna  

Lindsay, what’s the story behind the title Wolf Haven?
Wolf Haven embodies the symbology of the story as well as the characters. Wolves, as you know, are a pack. They’re a team animal, and one works with the other to accomplish a goal. A haven is a place to feel safe, protected, calm, quiet or relaxed. In the story, the hero, Grayson (Gray) McCoy, is an ex-SEAL. His mother is a world renown wolf expert and wildlife biologist. Gray grew up with wolves and puppies as a child. He knows wolves well. When he leaves the SEALs, he eventually lands a job at Iris Mason’s Elk Horn Ranch near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She is putting up a one-hundred acre wildlife preserve for the dude ranch visitors who come to the ranch. Plus, she’s pro environmental, loves wolves and wants to help them out. 

Gray loves being the boss of the new wildlife center, knows wild animals well because he had eighteen years of learning from his world famous mother. And like the SEALs, who always work as a seamless team, the wolves work in a similar way out in the wild.  He has a special connection with them.

The heroine, Sky Pascal, RN, is ex-US Navy. She was in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan with a surgeon flying to an FOB to save a man’s life. She was one of two people who survived it and was captured and tortured by the Taliban. SEALs rescued her nearly two weeks later, but by then, she was badly damaged physically. And she acquired PTSD as a result of her torture. The Navy released her later and she couldn’t hold a job in the States. Finally, she answered the ad for a nurse wanted at the Elk Horn Ranch. And Iris Mason hired her. For Sky, the ranch became her haven. 

Sky is fragile, fighting to be ‘normal’ and hold a job. She never expects to run into Gray McCoy, or find another kind of haven in his arms. Gray wasn’t looking to fall in love, either. Each brings something to the other and something deeper and more tender develops between them. The wolf puppies, caring for them, comes naturally to Sky. Just by her presence, she begins to heal Gray’s past heartache. Only, even in a haven, there can be danger. And Sky’s healing could be undone by the acts of one man.

Tell us about your series. Is this book a stand alone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Wolf Haven is book number nine of the Wyoming Series that I’m penning for Harlequin/HQN.  Each book is a stand alone book. But you will see characters from other books in them, as well. There are two matriarchs in the valley, Iris Mason of the Elk Horn Ranch and Gus  Hunter of the Bar H, are wonderful older women who are anchors to their family and those who work for them. The abiding power of older women who have a lifetime of wisdom, permeates each book. 

These are stories about people who either come back to the valley where Jackson Hole resides, or are drawn to the area. And regardless, there is suspense, danger and romance in the mix. All the books, including two more in 2015, will be placed in audible.com. The first nine books, including Wolf Haven, are available. These are books about family and meeting the challenges of today’s world together, rather than individually. Family is the main theme running through this series. And those who have lost their family find a new one when they come to this area of Wyoming. 

How did you create the plot for this book?
Since I was in the US Navy and have a military background (and created the Military Romance genre in 1983), I write about military topics, veteran’s stories, or men/women who have been in the military and are now civilians. I’ve never been for water boarding, which the CIA uses on the enemy to drain them of information. I’ve read a number of reports of men who were water boarded (and were innocent) and how it changed their lives forever. And then to have our U.S. government say that water boarding is not “torture,” put me right over the edge on this particular topic. 

If you are ever water boarded, you will agree instantly that it IS torture. You will also agree that you’ll say ANYTHING to get the water from running into your nostrils and creating mock-suffocation within you. I wanted to illustrate this point so that my loyal readers could really “get it” up close and personal. I created Sky Pascal, a US Navy nurse, who is at the wrong place at the wrong time. She’s taken prisoner by the Taliban and water boarded off and on for two weeks. She is eventually rescued, but comes home a broken shell of her former self. 

The story is about healing from such trauma, how it forever alters a person’s life and their view on life, and that love can provide a new door opening up for Sky through ex-SEAL, Grayson McCoy. 

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
I loved writing about Sky Pascal. She was a good person, broken by war circumstances. Her father was in the Marine Corps, her mother a full blood Cheyenne Indian. She had a strong backbone, but even the strongest person can be brought to their knees and destroyed in the right circumstance. I like to write about people who are under severe stresses, challenges and must call on their most basic survival instinct and fight to live rather than die. It takes nothing to breathe air in and out all day long, never engaging with life. It takes real courage to LIVE your life and mix it up and get in there and fight for yourself. Sky had to do that. And I feel that the readers will find her sympathetic and be rooting for her all the way with each step she takes away from her trauma and begins to heal from it.  

Who are your favorite authors?
Most of my favorite authors are women military veterans who did serve or are currently serving their country. When they write a military romance, it’s the real deal. You know you’re going to get accuracy about the military, the environment and how people act/react in military settings. Toward that end, my favorite authors to read when I get time are: Merline Lovelace, Delores Fossen, Geri Krotow, and Jessica Scott.

What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
Any author who writes a military romance and doesn’t even know that men and women in the US Navy are called SAILORS, and are not called “soldiers.”  Or they call a Marine a “soldier.” If a Marine was EVER within earshot and heard themselves referred to as a “soldier” they would immediately be in your face and let you know you screwed up (or most likely, far stronger words that that because they get very angry and testy when called a ‘solider’). The only “soldier” is someone who is in the US Army. Period. And by the way? Men and women in the Air Force are called “airmen.” It deeply disappoints me when authors make such basic mistakes. They’re not doing their research. These men and women give their lives for our country, the least they can do is get the basics straight of the military branch they serve in. I can’t tell you how much email I get from readers who are outraged about this basic mistake when they read another author’s military romance.  I always tell the reader to email that author and let them know. 

Where did you grow up?
In the first eighteen years of my life, my parents moved us twenty-two times and in six different Western states. We moved, roughly, every nine months. My father was in WW2, a sailor in the US Navy. He was blown off a gun turret on the USS Fletcher in the Pacific, and suffered horrendous injuries and PTSD. PTSD was not called that at the time. Back then, it was “battle fatigue.” 

My father was also part Eastern Cherokee, and he had the wanderlust in his genes. We seemed to move at least once or twice a year whether we needed to or not. I was born in San Diego, California (a great Navy city), but also saw states such as Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, and Idaho along the way. For a writer, this is a great boon because I got to see a lot of different people of different mindsets and beliefs. You had the Navajo in Arizona and New Mexico, Mormons in Idaho, ranchers in Montana, timber folks in Oregon and so on. I went though schools like people go through a revolving door. I learned a lot of different lingo, slang and heard a lot of different vocalizations, depending what state we lived in. All of this, of course, helps me craft my characters in my book, so it was a good thing. 

What dumb things did you do during your college years?
Actually, I have a high school story that’s about a dumb as they come about college and it’s truly worth telling. In my junior year of high school, I took my SAT test. This SAT test was to determine your intelligence, IQ and of course, whether you were smart enough to go to college. I must say here that I was a poor student. I even had to go through remedial English in the 9th grade, flunked math in the 7th grade and almost got set back to the 3rd grade for a second time. I was NOT a book learner. There are six different types of “learners.”  Among them: Visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, analytic, and  global learners. I’m a kinesthetic type. I like to be physical, move around, loved sports, learned by working with whatever it was (like learning how to take apart a car carburetor and putting back together again), making airplane models, loved gym, competitive in sports and exercise. 

The upshot of my SAT test was that I scored 650 on it. You must remember, 2400 is a “perfect” scores and of course, you’re a genius. So, when you come in with a 650, that’s not really great. You’re kinda looked at as the dumb kid in the high school. Further, I only made “C” grades while in high school, too. And as I went in to see my counselor about my SAT score, I saw that someone had written up in the corner of it: “Not recommended for college.” And I was told that by my sad looking counselor. Never once did they ever consider I was a bright kid, but their teaching methods weren’t reaching my intelligence.  And never mind that currently I have 135 books published in 22 foreign languages, with 23 million in sales. That’s not bad for someone who score 650 on the SAT test. Do you think?  What I really think is that 1 out of 6 kids is a “book learner” type and does well. But what about the other 5 types of kids? They all get left out. And of course, the SAT test is the golden standard in education. Sadly, too many children who had poor SAT tests listened to their counselor, realized they were not bright enough, and so bought the whole message. Fortunately, I did not.

How did you meet your husband? Was it love at first sight?
I met my husband, David, at a fencing class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the YWCA. He was one of the four fencing instructors to our class of fifteen women who wanted to learn how to fence. I had always been a lover of sports, super competitive and loved a challenge. I thought learning how to fence, to be a “Muskateer” waving her epee around, would be really cool. When I first met Dave, I thought he must be married and have three kids...he was that kind of easy going, patient, laid back kind of personality. Happily, I found out later he was single and didn’t have a girlfriend. Lucky me! We literally crossed swords when we met. And now, we’ve been married 41 years and he’s still my best friend, my confidant, my lover, and we love living our lives together through the ups and downs. At least, when there is a down in our lives, we have each other to comfort one another. When I write about love, I can write definitively about it because I’m very lucky in that I get to live it, day in and day out. I know what makes a good relationship and marriage work.  I put all kinds of info in my books about what makes love work between two people...and what does not.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore? 
For three years, I worked in the library of Medford Senior High School, in Medford, Oregon, where I graduated. I loved working in the library and my teacher and librarian was very maternal, an elder with such a beautiful heart and soul. I loved reading from the time my mother read to us when I was five years old onward. And to handle the books, smell them, read a little page or two as I put them back on the shelves, was like dessert to me. I’m an introvert, so I’m much happier in a quiet, gentle environment like a library...not in a busy, hectic, frantic bookstore scene. 

What’s one of your favorite quotes? 
“This too, shall end.” I know we all go through a day, weeks, months, and sometimes, years, where we are being tested, challenged and take on tremendous responsibility for ourselves and others. When I have a day, week or month like that (thank goodness, not too many years, but I’ve had those, too), I just mutter under my breath, “This too, shall end.” And it always does. It helps to say it out loud, however.  

What’s your favorite candy bar?
I love Heath Bars! I love the buttery toffee, the exquisite chocolate mixed in with it.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I travel a great deal. I go where I want to set a future book. We do a lot of individual kinds of adventuring because we go off the beaten track. Also, when we travel, such as to Rome, Italy, we stay seven days down in the heart of the city, walking probably five miles a day, getting to know the people, the food, the heartbeat and soul of the city, and breathing in that monumental historical culture which is to die for. We’ve been to Asia, Europe, Central/South America, all over North America, Australia, and New Zealand. When I put a story somewhere, I’ve already been there and breathed it into my memory, lots of photos, lots of notes, and buy a lot of cookbooks and other types of books about the city/country.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
Right here in the USA because after all my decades of travel, there simply is no place like the United States. People who don’t travel don’t realize this, however and that’s a shame. We live in a very wonderful country. 

About the author:

Lindsay McKenna is proud to have served her country in the U.S. Navy as an aerographer’s mate third class—also known as a weather forecaster. She is one of the original founders of the military romance subgenre and loves to combine heart-pounding action with soulful and poignant romance.

Connect with Lindsay:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Book trailer  

Buy the book:
Amazon | Audible  

Featured Author: Lynn Cahoon

About the book:

The tourist town of South Cove, California, is a lovely place to spend the holidays. But this year, shop owner Jill Gardner discovers there’s no place like home for homicide. . .

As owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liaison for a new work program, 'tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or worse. For Jill, nothing’s worse than Ted Hendricks--the jerk who runs the program. After a few run-ins, Jill’s ready to kill the guy. That, however, turns out to be unnecessary when she finds Ted in his car--dead as a doornail. Officer Greg assumes it’s a suicide. Jill thinks it’s murder. And if the holidays weren’t stressful enough, a spoiled blonde wants to sue the city for breaking her heel. Jill has to act fast to solve this mess--before the other shoe drops. . .

Interview with Lynn Cahoon

What’s the story behind the title If the Shoe Kills?
It’s a Cinderella reference. The new store in town is a glass shop and has a glass slipper on the sign. I love the idea of Cinderella getting all feisty and taking care of business.

If the Shoe Kills is the third in the Tourist Trap Mysteries. Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
The Tourist Trap Mysteries follow my amateur sleuth, Jill Gardner, and her adventures in South Cove, a small tourist town on the central California coastline. I love building this town as the stories build and learning more about the friends and enemies surrounding Jill. Each book can be read as a stand-alone. My publisher released three books in the series this year, and I’m contracted for three more next year.   

Do you have another job outside of writing?
I do have a day job. I’m in administration for a large St. Louis leasing company. So if you need to know how to tag or plate your car in Georgia or parts of Canada, I’m your girl.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
I adore Aunt Jackie. She says what’s on her mind, no matter who’s around to hear. And she’s living her life, even with the challenges she runs into during the story. Sometimes I wish I was more like her.

One of your characters has just found out you’re about to kill him off. He decides to beat you to the punch. How would he kill you?
Oh, this is a great question. For the WIP, (Tourist Trap #5) the victim would chose something up close and personal, like a blade, since I was totally messing with their livelihood and life. I don’t think this person would take kindly to the threat.

With what five real people would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?
Stephen King (Nuff said.)
Rachel Ray (And hope we have access to a fully stocked kitchen.)
Laura Bradford (My BFF)
Robyn Carr (I’d love to pick her brain on writing.)
Bob Mayer (So he could help me career plan.)

What song would you pick to go with your book?
If the Shoe Kills is a holiday book, happening just before Thanksgiving, so I should pick "Over the River," but I believe the feel is more with the Christmas carol, "Oh Holy Night." Mostly due to the re-birth of one of the characters. The hymn reminds me of hope and the chance of a new day for a new choice.

Who are your favorite authors?
Stephen King, Harlan Coben (Can I add him to the bookstore group too?), Robyn Carr (LOVE her Thunder Point series.) I’m developing a reader crush on Joe Hill too which is a dilemma on loving both a father and a son. Oh, and Jim Butcher.


What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
Currently I’m listening to Harlan’s Stay Close. In paper, I’ve got several started including Jim Butcher’s Storm Front, Elizabeth Lynn Casey’s Remnants of Murder, and Lori Wilde’s The First Love Cookie Club. And a few more I’ve got opened and started somewhere around the house.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
On my desktop in my office, first thing in the morning. But that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, so now I write anywhere I can and anytime. Except I’m an early to bed kind of girl, so my brain is mush after 9.

What’s your favorite memory?
Watching the light wheel change the color of the silver Christmas tree in the first house I remember. I began to story-tell at a young age, hanging out in the hall closet where there was an entry to the crawl space below. I believed it was a portal to another world. 

What do you love about where you live?

I live in a historic river town on the Mississippi. I love living near the water and cross two rivers to get to my day job. I love the history that surrounds me every day, but I’m particularly fond of the road filled with antique shops where I love to wander.


Have you been in any natural disasters?
One earthquake so far.

How did you meet your husband?
I met my current spouse in a bar. His girlfriend and my boyfriend (at the time) were on a dart league together. So while they played, we talked. I liked him from the first time we talked, but the thing he did for me was make me question my tendency to settle in relationships. I wasn’t in love with the guy I was dating, and, I wanted to be in love. So I broke it off with the first guy, and a few months later, fate brought us back together. We’re going on fifteen years together now.

If you could only keep one book, what would it be?
Illusions by Richard Bach. Or Doctor Sleep by Stephen King.

You’re published by eKinsington. How did you find them, and how long did your query process take?
I love this question because I’m the poster child for Never Give Up, Never Surrender. I’d had Kensington written on a note card for years because they accepted unagented submissions and published cozy mysteries. I sat in on a couple panels at RWA Nationals the last time it was in New York City and really liked some of the editors. I shopped Guidebook to Murder to a bunch of agents for a couple years with no bites. Then, I found the index card on my desk. I submitted and forgot about it. A few months later, I got an email from my editor asking if I’d thought about a second book in the series. I sent her a partial, and by April of 2013, I had a contract in hand.

What are you working on now?
Book #5 of The Tourist Trap series where Jill and the town sponsor a fun walk/run on The Mission Trail.

Other books by Lynn:

Guidebook to Murder
Mission to Murder

About the author:

USA Today and New York Times best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and four fur babies.

Connect with Lynn:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon author page

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Featured Author: D.J. Donaldson

About the book:

Andy Broussard, the plump and proud New Orleans medical examiner, obviously loves food. Less apparent to the casual observer is his hatred of murderers. Together with his gorgeous sidekick, psychologist Kit Franklyn, the two make a powerful, although improbable, mystery solving duo.

When the beautiful Kit goes to meet an anonymous stranger—who’s been sending her roses—the man drops dead at her feet before she even could even get his name. Game on.

Andy Broussard soon learns that the man carried a lethal pathogen similar to the deadly Ebola virus. Soon, another body turns up with the same bug. Panic is imminent as the threat of pandemic is more real than ever before. The danger is even more acute, because the carrier is mobile, his identity is an absolute shocker, he knows he’s a walking weapon and… he’s on a quest to find Broussard. And Kit isn’t safe either. When she investigates her mystery suitor further, she runs afoul of a cold blooded killer, every bit as deadly as the man searching for Broussard.

Louisiana Fever is written in Donaldson’s unique style: A hard-hitting, punchy, action-packed prose that’s dripping with a folksy, decidedly southern, sense of irony. Add in Donaldson’s brilliant first hand knowledge of forensics and the sultry flavor of New Orleans, and the result is first class forensic procedural within an irresistibly delectable mystery.

What reviewers are saying:

"D.J. Donaldson is superb at spinning medical fact into gripping suspense.  With his in-depth knowledge of science and medicine, he is one of very few authors who can write with convincing authority.” -Tess Gerritsen, NY Times best-selling author of the Rizzoli & Isles novels

“CSI meets The Big Easy.”

"Quietly, this series has a carved a solid place for itself among the many New Orleans-based crime novels. Broussard makes a terrific counterpoint to the Dave Robicheaux ragin' Cajun school of mystery heroes: analytical where Robicheaux is emotional, self-indulgent where Robicheaux is Spartan, Broussard proves it's possible to savor your crawfish etouffee without being a tough guy. Thank God for that." -Bill Ott, Booklist

Interview with D.J. Donaldson

D.J., how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
Oddly, the thought that I wanted to become a novelist just popped into my head one day shortly after my fiftieth birthday.  Part of this sudden desire was a bit of boredom with my real job. I was an anatomy professor at the University of Tennessee and had accomplished all my major professional goals: course director, funded NIH grant, teaching awards, and many published papers on wound healing. So I guess I needed a new challenge. And boy did I pick a tough one. 

I wondered, how does a novice like me learn to write fiction? Taking a few writing courses is an obvious answer. But I had the vague feeling that there were a lot of unpublished writers teaching those courses, and I worried that all I’d learn was how to fail. I’m not saying this was the best way, but I decided to just teach myself. I bought ten bestselling novels and tried to figure out what made each of them work. What tricks were the authors using to hold my attention? What made these books so popular? In a sense then, perhaps I didn’t teach myself. Maybe Steven King, Robin Cook, Pat Conroy, Michael Palmer, Larry McMurtry, and James Michener did. In any event, eight years later, I sold my first book.  So, it took me about as long to become a published novelist as it did to train for medical research and teaching.

What’s the story behind the title Louisiana Fever?
Louisiana Fever is the fifth book in a series set in New Orleans and adjacent parts of Louisiana. To help brand the series, my editor decided that each title should relate in some way to the locale. You’d think it wouldn’t be hard to do that, but I usually sit for hours playing with words and rearranging them in what I hope are creative ways. No matter what title I eventually settle on for a book, I have this nagging suspicion that even if I really like the one I pick, there was a much better one I might have used. I just couldn’t find it. I keep thinking about Margaret Mitchell, who originally called her only novel, Tomorrow is Another Day. That’s not a bad title. But it’s not in the same league as the title it was eventually given: Gone with the Wind. 

Of all my New Orleans books, I’m the most satisfied with the title for Louisiana Fever. Although the title doesn’t specifically mention New Orleans, it lets readers know a lot about the locale. It also strongly suggests that the story involves some kind of contagious disease. The fever part of the title actually refers to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a bleeding disease similar to Ebola. Most writers would be thrilled to have written a book that could be related to unfolding world events. Normally, I’d be among them. But in this case, I’d much prefer that there was no reason for Ebola to be in the news every day. I hope this threat is contained soon.

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone or do readers need to read the series in order?
As I mentioned above Louisiana Fever is the fifth book in a series. Even though there were four books that came before Fever, (Cajun Nights, Blood on the Bayou, No Mardi Gras for the Dead, and New Orleans Requiem) it’s not necessary to read them in order. Many readers have said that the books work perfectly well as stand-alones.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
Practically from the moment I decided to try my hand at fiction, I wanted to write about a medical examiner. There's just something appealing about being able to put a killer in the slammer using things like the stomach contents of the victim or teeth impressions left in a bite mark. Contrary to what the publisher's blurb said on a couple of my books, I'm not a forensic pathologist. To gear up for the first book in the series, I spent a couple of weeks hanging around the county forensic center where Dr. Jim Bell taught me the ropes.  Unfortunately, Jim died unexpectedly after falling into a diabetic coma a few months before the first book was published. Though he was an avid reader, he never got to see a word of the book he helped me with. In many ways, Jim lives on as Broussard. Broussard's brilliant mind, his weight problem, his appreciation of fine food and antiques, his love for Louis L'Amour novels... that was Jim Bell.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
Years ago I remember hearing the writer, Elizabeth Daniels Squire (now deceased), talk about how throughout her life she had an extremely poor memory. It was so bad she often prayed to be delivered from that affliction. One day on vacation somewhere in Italy, she visited a shrine in a tiny cave where the ceiling was so low tourists had to enter on hands and knees. There, she prayed again for God to fix her faulty memory. Then, forgetting where she was, she tried to stand up and knocked herself out. Realizing now that she should just accept her problem and learn to live with it, she created Peaches Dann, a sleuth with a terrible memory. I’m now reading one of those books...on a Kindle.  I love how you can change the font size on a Kindle.

What do you love about where you live?
Compared to the price of housing in many other parts of the country, homes in Memphis are a bargain. I watch those real estate shows from other cities and am astounded at what people there have pay for homes I couldn’t stand to live in. 


Have you been in any natural disasters?
My wife and I lived through Hurricane Betsy in New Orleans. It wasn’t as bad as Katrina, but it did peel the bricks off our apartment building and blow out the hall windows so the stairwells became gushing waterfalls.

Yikes! I know you'd like to forget that. What’s your favorite memory?
The phone call I got from my first agent telling me that an editor at St. Martins Press wanted to talk to me about my first novel. (I have a feeling I’d better not let my wife see this.)

I'd say go with that feeling! What is the most daring thing you've done?
Marry a 17-year-old girl when I was 20. It worked out okay though because 53 years later, we’re still married.  


What is the stupidest thing you've done?
I can’t bear to think about it let alone tell anyone else what happened. (It’s also my most embarrassing moment.)

Well, at least you didn't say it was marrying a 17-year-old girl when you were 20! 
What makes you nervous?
I get very nervous during intense thunderstorms. My wife and I live in a house that’s 110 years old. When we bought it many years ago, it was in a terrible state and there were lots of leaks in the roof. The house is now fully restored and has been for at least a decade. Yet I still dream about that leaking roof and always imagine the worst when it rains so hard we can’t see two feet beyond the front door. (And it seems like those are the only kinds of rains we get in Memphis.)

What makes you happy?
A five star review on Amazon.

How did you meet your wife? Was it love at first sight?
I still remember the first time I saw her. She was a gorgeous young blonde wearing white short shorts and a white blouse. She picked up a little girl who was eating licorice and the girl smeared it all over that white blouse. There was not one sign of irritation in my future wife’s face. She loved that little girl just as much before the ruined blouse as after. I knew then that this was a young woman with a good heart. 

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“The outcome of successful planning always looks like luck to saps." -Dashielle Hammet in The Dain Curse

What would you like people to say about you after you die?
“Oh wait...there he is standing over there. I’ll be damned.”

Other books by D.J. Donaldson

New Orleans Requiem 
Sleeping with the Crawfish
Bad Karma in the Big Easy http://amzn.to/1skKQ7v

About the author:

D.J. (Don) Donaldson is a retired medical school professor. Born and raised in Ohio, he obtained a Ph.D. in human anatomy at Tulane, then spent his entire academic career at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. In addition to being the author of several dozen scientific articles on wound healing, he has written seven forensic mysteries and five medical thrillers.

Cool Book of the Week: Secrets of Hallstead House

Secrets of Hallstead House

by Amy Reade

Would your grandmother like this book?
My grandmother would love this book. It’s more sweet than spicy, and it’s been compared to books by Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, and Daphne Du Maurier. My grandmother loved Phyllis Whitney, and in fact, it was at my grandparents’ home on the St. Lawrence River where I first discovered Phyllis Whitney’s books. I was there for the day because I was sick and couldn’t go to school and I was looking for something to read. 

P.S. My grandmother would love anything I write just because I wrote it. Isn’t that what grandmothers do?

What is your elevator pitch?
Macy Stoddard moves to the Thousand Islands following a family tragedy in New York, but finds that she is unwelcome and despised for reasons she doesn’t understand. She is forced to make a choice between going back to New York and helping an elderly woman uncover the secrets that haunt her.  

How did you come up with the plot?
When I was thinking about the plot, all the action in my head just naturally occurred in the Thousand Islands, near where I grew up. I knew the novel would be set there, and I knew I wanted to write a story about family secrets and betrayal and that my main character would be a woman. The details just grew and blossomed at that point.


How is this book different from other books in this genre?
Secrets of Hallstead House is categorized as romantic suspense, but I think it also has a gothic feel to it. Not in the sense that there is anything supernatural going on (no magicians, no vampires), but in the sense that the setting is very important to the story. The house and the island where the story takes place are almost characters in their own right. I’m so pleased when a reader tells me that I’ve inspired them to visit the Thousand Islands through the atmosphere that I’ve described in the book.   


Why is your book cool?
My book is cool because it appeals to readers who like romantic suspense that is more suspense than romance. It’s cool because I wrote something that I’m not embarrassed to let my kids or my parents or my own grandmother read! It’s cool because the story is a nice introduction to the Thousand Islands. And it’s cool because it’s been compared with some of the greats of romantic suspense and Gothic literature!

About the book:

Macy Stoddard is a young nurse from Manhattan who loses both parents in a drunk driving accident. She takes a job as a private nurse to Alex Hallstead in the Thousand Islands of upstate New York in an attempt to get a fresh start, a fresh perspective.

But soon she realizes that not everyone on the island welcomes her. The boat captain is aloof and suspicious of Macy, the sour and domineering housekeeper and her simpering husband obviously resent her presence, and Alex’s handsome nephew seems to delight in tormenting Macy for reasons known only to him.

Macy learns of Alex’s tragic past and of the fears that continue to haunt her. And when Macy learns about her own connection to the island, one she never dreamed of, she has to choose between her own sanity and helping Alex discover the truth behind the mysteries on Hallstead Island.

Why reviewers think Secrets of Hallstead House is cool:

"I was unable to put down Amy Reade's debut novel "Secrets of Hallstead House." The descriptions in the novel transported me to the Thousand Islands and I could actually feel the chill in the early fall air. I also enjoyed learning the history of the Thousand Islands and the trips made to Boldt Castle and the other islands. The romance between Macy and Pete was beautifully written. Amy Reade's second novel cannot come soon enough for this reader."

"This story has twists and turns so you don't know what will happen until the very end. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I especially like the true historic stories woven through the book. I thought I knew about this area of the St. Lawrence River, but I was mistaken."

"I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and those who like to be drawn into the setting as they read. I believe this is Amy M. Reade’s first book and I will definitely be looking for more books by this author."

About the author:

Amy M. Reade grew up in upstate New York, just a few miles from the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands region. After graduating from college and law school and practicing law in Manhattan, she moved to southern New Jersey, where she lives near the ocean with her family and three pets, two of whom treat her more like staff than owner. Her second novel, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, is set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and will be released in April, 2015. She is currently working on her third novel, set on the Big Island of Hawaii. 




Connect with Amy:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter 

Buy the book:
Amazon | Google | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Apple 

Featured Author: Joanna Campbell Slan

About the book:

Cara Mia Delgatto’s cup runneth over with worries. Her ex-husband is refusing to pay their son’s college tuition, her evil sister is pulling mean pranks, and her old boyfriend has broken her heart. And that’s just the personal stuff. She’s also concerned about keeping the cash register ringing at The Treasure Chest, her retail store specializing in upcycled, recycled, and repurposed décor items with a coastal theme. The media event that Cara plans turns nasty when reporter Kathy Simmons threatens to share unsavory details from the shopkeeper’s past. Things get really dicey when Kathy mysteriously disappears. Cara’s other problems seem trivial in comparison to…a murder investigation!

Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I started as a kid, by stapling sheets of scrap paper together and telling everyone, “This is my book.” Honestly, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I started winning awards in junior high, and I majored in journalism in college.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
Since I write more than one series, I keep collecting title ideas. The Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series revolves around a “trash to treasure” type of store. Therefore, I want all the titles to reflect that theme. It’s amazing how many euphemisms we have for stuff we toss away! I also try to match the title to the plot in some unexpected way. In this particular book, the title (Kicked to the Curb) mimics the plight of several characters. They are all “kicked to the curb,” that is, abandoned by our society.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m a wife and mother. I edit articles for my son’s website. Other than that, I write full-time.

How would you describe your book in five words? 
Thought-provoking, timely, mystery, heart-warming, crafty.

How did you create the plot for Kicked to the Curb?
I always start with what’s happening in my character’s lives. Their problems become the wire armature that the plot is built on. I had been following the news about the forensic investigation into the burials at the Dozier School for Boys, and I knew I wanted that to be part of the book. From there, it was like working a puzzle. Getting all the pieces to fix was challenging, but satisfying! At one point, I didn’t know how the mystery was going to be solved. Ugh. That was a bleak moment. Luckily, I came up with a clue...

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for. 
The Ugly American by Burdick and Lederer.

I think this book should be required reading in high school. After you read it, you’ll have a better understanding of how our country gets into some of the foreign policy messes we’re in. We’re not culturally literate, and that’s a huge problem.

How do you get to know your characters?
I talk to them. I observe them. I think about them. I also fill out little charts and pigeon-hole them into one of four personal styles. When all else fails, I take walks on the beach with them. That’s when they usually open up to me.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
In this book, probably Honora McAfee. She’s new to this series, but she’s a real asset. Because she’s an older lady, she brings a different world-view to the cast of characters. I like a good mixture of folks in my books. They rub up against each other and then the sparks fly.

What would your main character, Cara Mia Delgatto, say about you?
She would say that I’m too creative and not as business-minded as I should be. She would encourage me to be more diligent about doing profit-and-loss statements. But once she finished scolding me, she’d give me a big hug and feed me biscotti and coffee.

Are you like any of your characters?
I’m a combination of several of my characters. I’m like Skye Blue in that I love turning trash into treasure. When it comes to clothes, I most enjoy wearing things with a bohemian edge to them, like she does. (I think she looks better in them than I do because she’s slimmer, but that’s why I love fiction.) I’m also like Honora McAfee, because I’m an avid miniaturist. I love, love, love making dollhouses and roomboxes.

With what five real people would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?
Terry Gross of Fresh Air, because she’s met so many of the movers and shakers of our time; Hillary Clinton, because we met once and she impressed me, plus I’d like to know more about how she keeps her emotional balance; Neil Degrasse Tyson, because he’s fascinating and thoughtful and I’d love to ask him questions; Maureen Corrigan of Fresh Air, because she’s reviewed so many delightful books; and Diane Rehm, because she’s overcome such adversity and talked to so many fascinating people.


Do you have a routine for writing?
Yes, I get up, eat breakfast, get dressed, and start writing. Every day, all day. I break for lunch. I stop around five. Often I do my reading for research in the evening.

Where’s home for you?
Jupiter Island, Florida.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I love it when my house is empty, because I can sink down into my work and know I won’t be disturbed. I adore writing at my house on Jupiter Island, because it’s so quiet here. If I get stuck, I walk the beach. I alternate between sitting on my sofa and working upstairs in my office. I do that because of the strain on my back and arms. Changing locale seems to help.

Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
(Weird thing) Celine Dion is my neighbor, and she almost ran over me while taking her son to soccer practice. (Nice thing) This is one of the biggest sea turtle nesting sites in the world. (Fact) Less than four hundred people live on this island year-around.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Right here. In fact, I want my ashes sprinkled over the beach after I die.

What are you working on now?
Doing edits for the next two Kiki Lowenstein books—Handmade, Holiday, Homicide (Dec. 15) and Shotgun, Wedding, Bells (Jan. 15, 2015).

Anything else?
We have a special bonus for readers who join my mailing list—two recipes, two craft tutorials, and an outtake scene from Kicked to the Curb. All readers need to do is send an email to KTTCBonus@JoannaSlan.com  They’ll automatically receive these free gifts!

From the author: 

I grew up dirt poor in a little town in Indiana. (Actually, we could afford the dirt, but that was about it.) Since I didn’t have the money to buy what I wanted, I learned to be creative with whatever I could find, including trash, junk, and stuff other people kicked to the curb. Consequently, I do my best thinking while I’m puttering around. Most of the time, my mind is a million miles away, and I’m in my own little world, making up stories. You might say that I’ve built my own “happy place” from scratch. You can read more about my adventures in crafting on my Facebook page.

Not surprisingly, I have chosen to write books about women, who are creative, passionate, and spunky. If you like Cara Mia and her friends, you’ll probably like my Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series. If you like courageous women and history, check out my series featuring Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth. You’ll find a complete list of my works on my author page.


Connect with Joanna
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other books by Joanna Campbell Slan:

Tear Down and Die (Book #1 in the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series)

Killer, Paper, Cut (Book #9 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series)

Death of a Dowager (Book #2 in the Jane Eyre Chronicles)

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